Internet Celebrity Virtual Idol MIRAI: A New Attempt at the Integration of AI and Web3

Recently, a project called MIRAI has attracted widespread attention. This project combines virtual idols, artificial intelligence, and Web3 technology, raising over $12.9 million in just one week, setting a fundraising record for Japanese Web3 projects. Subsequently, MIRAI was launched on a trading platform, further increasing its exposure. To expand its community influence, the MIRAI team has also actively interacted with several popular communities.

MIRAI is a project jointly launched by Aww Inc. and a certain AI platform, positioning itself as an innovative attempt at virtual personas in the Web3 domain. The core concept of the project is to combine computer-generated virtual characters with blockchain technology. According to reports, MIRAI integrates Aww Inc.'s expertise in CG modeling and character design with blockchain infrastructure and AI technology, aiming to create a virtual character with autonomy and intelligent agency capabilities.

Aww Inc. was established in 2019 and is headquartered in Tokyo. It is the first company in Asia focused on "virtual human" technology. The company is dedicated to combining 3DCG, artificial intelligence, and real-time streaming to create highly realistic digital characters that can be used in brand marketing, content creation, and metaverse applications. Aww Inc. has achieved diversified revenue through global licensing and brand collaborations.

The most representative is the virtual model imma, which made its debut in 2018. By the end of 2024, imma's total number of followers on Instagram and TikTok has exceeded 880,000. Due to its unique image design, imma has become a leading "virtual influencer" in the fashion and business sectors, serving as a digital spokesperson for internationally renowned brands multiple times. In the sports and cultural fields, imma has also appeared on important occasions, such as the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2021 Paralympics and the opening ceremony of the Osaka Kansai Expo 2025.

In terms of technological research and development, Aww Inc. has established a strategic partnership with a semiconductor giant, integrating AI audio-driven technology with GPU acceleration capabilities to enhance the real-time emotional interaction and voice lip synchronization of virtual characters.

The name of the MIRAI project means "future" in Japanese, which may express Aww Inc.'s expectations for entering the Web3 space. In terms of project empowerment, Aww Inc. provides core support based on its years of experience in IP operations and community operations in the Web2 world. Meanwhile, its partners inject the power of "intelligent agents + decentralization" into the project through underlying technology and on-chain infrastructure.

According to the project roadmap, MIRAI will gradually launch several core features in the coming quarters, including a next-generation publishing platform, content creation tools, a real-time live streaming interactive system, and multi-chain deployment support. Ultimately, the project plans to launch a complete DAO governance platform in early 2026, allowing community members to participate in major decisions such as the distribution of IP derivatives and ecosystem funds.

MIR envisions an AI-driven virtual character that is tied to a blockchain identity system. This model allows the virtual character to make autonomous decisions, interact with the community, and receive incentives through a token economy. The project enables the community to act as co-creators and co-governors of the character, jointly determining the storyline development and IP derivative direction. Once the community holds tokens, they can participate in governance, use the character's image for secondary creation, and share the profits, breaking the traditional one-way creation method of virtual IP.

However, this innovative model also faces some challenges. In terms of token economics, the distribution and holding of the MIRAI token show a certain degree of centralization, which may affect the level of decentralization in governance. Additionally, the gradual release of a large number of tokens may lead to market price fluctuations.

At the community operation level, while decentralized co-creation can stimulate vitality, it also brings management challenges: quality control of user-generated content, copyright management, and maintaining IP consistency are all issues that need to be addressed. At the same time, how to continuously maintain the attractiveness and popularity of roles, avoiding "character collapse" or decline in popularity, is also an important challenge faced by projects.

Overall, MIRAI is groundbreaking in the integration of AI virtual idols and blockchain, providing new ideas for Web3 content creation and the IP economy. However, whether it can truly achieve its intended goals still depends on the rational design of the token economy, the improvement of community governance mechanisms, and the ability to continuously innovate and maintain the value of virtual characters. Only under the premise of the maturity of both technology and mechanisms can MIRAI truly become a model of the "virtual human + decentralized economy".